Improvement in baggage-seals



1. 'c. WANDS.

Baggage-Seals. N0.153,-869.' I Patehted Aug 4,1874.

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INVENTOR wan 4 ATTORN EYS.

PATENT QFFICE.

JOHN o. WANDS, 0E NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

IMPROVEMENTIN BAGGAGE-SEALS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,869, dated August 4, 1874 application filed March 28, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN G. WANDS, of Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented anew and valuable Improvementin Baggage-Seals; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings are representations of longitudinal sections of my seal. Fig. 3 is a view of my finished seal. Fig. 4 is a cross-section, and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section, of the same. Fig. 6 is an end view of my seal. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section, and Figs. 8 and 9 cross-sections of the same.

This invention has relation to devices for sealing the doors of railroad freight cars; and it consists in a novel mode of constructing lead or other soft-metal seals, and of applying the wire thereto, Wliereby the seals can not be readily detached from such wire, as will be hereinafter explained.

The followingis adescription of my improved seal:

1n the annexed drawings, Fig. 1, A designates the seal-blank, which'is a piece of lead or other soft metal, of a circular or other shape, having two holes or slots, to a, through it, which leave a narrow solid portion, I), between them, terminated in grooves or channels 0 c at its ends. If desired, more than two holes or slots may be made through the sealblank, but for all practical purposes two holes will be found to be sufficient. B designates the wire by means of which the seal is attached to a freight-car door, to a lock, or to any other object. The ends'of this wire are first passed in opposite directions through one i of the holes or slots, a, and then in opposite directions through the other slot a, after which the looped portions '5 of the wire are drawn tightly, so as to draw it well into the grooves or channels 00. The wire is then permanently and safely secured to the seal by compressing the same between suitable dies, which mashes down the metal at the ends of the holes a a, and at the same time leaves the proper impression on the face of the seal.

If three holes are made through the seal the ends of the wire loop B will .be passed through the two outside holes and back again through the intermediate groove; or, in the case of the two-hole seal, the ends of the wire loop may be passed the holes in one direction and back again, after crossing the ends, in the same direction.

It will be seen from the above description that my improved seals cannot be tampered With without disfiguring them and making the fact appear on their faces.

I do not claim as my invention a soft-metal seal and a harder-metal wire, as this is not, broadly, new with me.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a soft-metal seal-blank, the grooves C at the ends of the solid portion or portions b, between the perforations a, substantially as shown and described.

2. A seal-blank having the looped portions 1? of the wire inclosed within it, as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. WANDS. Witnesses:

M. RIORDAN, M. MAHONEY. 

